Thill-coupling.



No. 856,879 PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907.

I G. H. HUTTON.

THILL COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10,1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907.

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e liwznl oz G. H. HUTTON. THILL COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10 1906 UNTTE STATES FOR HG H. flilUTTON, OF

PATENT OFFTCE.

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THILL-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907.

To all whom it may conceiva- Be it known that I, GEORGE H HU'rToN, a citizen of the United. States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in thill couplings for vehicles.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a coupling of improved construction which will enable the ready attachment or removal of the shafts or tongue of a vehicle without tools of any kind; another object is to prevent rattling of the coupled parts, and another object is to provide means to retain a bolt in its position in the coupling without using a nut on the bolt.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which,

Figure 1 is a side view of the end of one prong of a shaft or tongue showing one form of the invention, and shows the axle and part of the coupling in section. Fig. 2 is a top view of the thill coupling. Fig. 3 is a side view of the extreme end of the prong shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the lever. Fig. 5 is a view on a larger scale of the cap which forms the top of the bearing. Fig. 6 is a cross-section of the prong or shaft of the tongue. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the lever showing as an additional feature a tinger to retain a bolt in position. Fig. 8 is a side view of one prong of an ordinary shaft or tongue to which my invention is applicable. Fig. 9 is a section view of the axle and a side View of one prong of a shaft or tongue coupled to, the axle, and showing the means for retaining the bolt in position. Fig. 10 is a top view of the coupling seen in Fig. 9.

The numeral, 1, designates the axle to the under side of which a'plate, 2, is secured by an ordinary clip, 3. See Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive. This plate projects in front of the axle and has two side jaws, 4, which carry a fixed round rod, 5, which is the equivalent of the ordinary removable bolt used in thill couplings.

The shaft or tongue, 6, has the usual iron, 7, to couple with the round rod or bolt. In Figs. 1 to 6 this iron terminates in a hook, S, which curves upward and has its point-end projecting downward; this hook is the means that couples withthe round rod, 5. On the upper side the hook iron has a depressed curve or bearing, 9, next to the coupling hook, 8. A lever has a rounded fulcrum, 10, one or more short prongs, 11, extending therefrom, and a long arm, 12, also extends therefrom in the oppositedirection. .l n'the present instance the fulcrum is provided with two short prongs but this is immaterial as l: have made and operated satisfactorily levers with but one short prong. The rounded fulcrum, 10, of the lever sets upon the top of the bearing, 9, while the short prong or prongs, 11, take below the coupling parts, and the longer yielding arm, 12, extends forward, and when fastened has position along side of the shaft or tongue, (5; the shaft or tongue has a side hook. 1.3, which curves with it point downward, and serves to fasten the long arm, 12, of the lever by the latter engaging under the said hook. The construction of these parts in Figs. 1. to 6 provides for the coupling hook, S, to take over the round rod, 5, while the short prong or prongs, 11, of the lever take under the said round rod, The long arm, 12, of the lever is preferably yielding or springy. It will be seen that when the long arm, 12, of the lever is engaged with the hook, 13, the effect of the co-operating parts is to press the coupling hook, 8, down upon the round rod, 5, and such down pressure prevents the coupled parts from rattling, which is a much desired result.

A cap, 14, is shaped to set upon the iron, 7, adjacent the hook, 8; it has at its top a projecting end, 15, whose under side is concave, as at, 1.6 the projecting end impinges against the upwardcurvc l part of the coupling hook, 8, and the concave part, 16, has position over the bearing, 9. A bolt, 17, is through the cap and also through the iron, 7, and keeps the cap in its place.

W'hen the long arm, 12, is fastened by the hook, 13, the coupling will be securely held with its parts engaged in order to uncouple and remove the shafts or tongue'from the vehicle, the first thing to do is to release the long arm, and then the parts may be disconnected without tools of any kind.

In Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive there is shown an additional feature of improvement; this consists of a device to retain a round rod or an ordinary bolt in its position and. obviate all necessity for the use of a nut to accomplish this end. 1 term the bolt-retaining device a linger, designated by the numeral, 18, and attached to the lever. The linger, 18, proj ects from one side of the fulcrum of the lever, and its position on the lever is such that when the short prong or prongs take below the coupling parts the finger, 8, will be at the end of the round rod or bolt as plainly seen in Fig. 10, and thereby prevent any endwise movement of the same.

In the construction shown in Figs. 7 to 10, the clip, 19, on the axle has two forward-projecting jaws, 20, which are spaced apart and an ordinary round bolt, 21, passes through both jaws. The iron, 7, on the shaft or tongue has at its end an ordinary coupling eye, 22, which takes position between the two jaws, 20, and couples with the round bolt, 21. The upper side of this iron next to the coupling eye, 22, has a depressed bearing, 9, on which the rounded fulcrum, 10, of the lever sets. In this construction the short prongs, 11, of the lever take under the jaws, 20. When the long arm, 12, of the lever is engaged with the hook, 13, the effect of the co-operating parts is to press the coupling eye, 22, down on the bolt, 21, and this pressure on the coupled parts prevents rattling, as already explained with reference to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 6.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is.

1. In a thill coupling the combination of an axle having projecting jaws carrying a rounded rod; a coupling iron on the shaft or tongue to engage said rod; a prong fulcrumecl on top of said coupling iron and projecting downward at the side of the latter to engage the coupled parts and means for operating said prong.

2. In a thill coupling the combination of an axle having forwardly-projecting aws carrying a round rod; a coupling iron on the shaft or tongue to engage said round rod; a lever having two prongs which straddle the coupling iron and engage the coupled parts.

3. In a thill coupling the combination of an axle having forwardly-projecting jaws; a rounded rod sustained by said jaws; a coupling iron on the shaft or tongue and having its end sustained by the rod between said jaws; a roundedv fulcrum seated on the lower end of the coupling iron and having spacedapart prongs which project downwardly at opposite sides of said iron to engage the cou pled parts and an arm for operating said fulcrum and prongs.

4. In a thill coupling the combination of an axle having two forward-projecting jaws carrying a round rod; a shaft or tongue prong having an iron which couples with said round rod; a lever fulcrumed on said iron and hav ing two prongs which takev under the coupled parts and a finger on the lever to project at the end of the said round rod.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE II. IIUTTON.

I/Vitnesses: Y

CHARLES B. MANN, Jr, G. FERDINAND Voe'r. 

